In NFL contract terms, this sets up as Marcus Mariota’s “payoff year,” as he can’t help but be reminded when checking the headlines these days.

With fellow quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Jimmy Garoppolo having recently signed multi-year contracts that could pay them, on average, $28 million and $27.5 million per year, there is no more lucrative time to be an up-and-coming young quarterback.

“You’re not completely numb to hearing about those figures,” Mariota acknowledged.

And, the 24-year-old Mariota has plans — big ones — for his fourth season with the Tennessee Titans.

“We’re talking about taking another 1,000 kids to a University of Hawaii football game again this year, doing something similar for a game in Oregon and back in Nashville, too,” Mariota said Monday, kicking off a week-long home visit.

This along with again handing out backpacks of school supplies for underprivileged kids and meals and toiletries to the homeless.

Meanwhile, there were 84 cases of Spam, a brand for which Mariota was a Super Bowl pitchman, donated by his Motive8 Foundation to the Hawaii Food Bank on Monday. And $10,000 in Riddell sports equipment spread among Damien Memorial, Kapaa High and the Hawaii Kai Pop Warner Dolphins, recognizing their coaches — Eddie Klaneski, Phil Rapozo and Sean Lorenzo — as part of the Ardel Deppe Community Coach Award honoring Mariota’s grandfather.

“He taught me life is also about the serving of others, putting others before yourself,” Mariota said. “He was a special man who taught me manners and to be respectful of others.”

Technically, this is the final season of the four-year $24.2 million contract Mariota signed after the Titans made him the second overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft. But, since he was their first-round pick, the Titans can pick up an option to run through 2019.

Typically the fourth year is when teams weigh whether or not to offer lucrative contract extensions. “They kind of wait and pay you at the rookie rate and observe whether to extend you,” Mariota said.

Spotrac.com has estimated his value at $25 million-$30 million.

In his case, Mariota maintains, “I can’t focus on that. I believe all that will take care of itself. I just have to be the best player that I can be for this team, this organization right now.”

Mariota said, “I have no idea (about negotiations). I can’t think about that, because when you worry about money — or contracts — you are worried about the wrong things. I believe (football) is the best team sport this world has to offer and you’ve just got to take care of your business on the field and the rest of the things will sort themselves out.”

Coming off surgery to implant a metal plate to help heal a broken leg suffered in the penultimate game of the 2016 season, Mariota struggled statistically in 2017 but nevertheless led the Titans into the playoff for the first time in nine years and to their first postseason victory in 14 seasons.

“What motivates me is that we got into the divisional round of the playoffs and were, in reality, two games out of the Super Bowl,” Mariota said.

Mariota made promotional appearances for Spam in Minnesota surrounding the Super Bowl. “It was interesting to be there through everything that was going on that week,” he said. “But, as a competitor, I hated being there watching two other teams playing for (the championship).”

This year, “My main focus is to be 100 percent (physically) and to get that chance to go to the Super Bowl (as a participant).”

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820